Nitrate & Nitrite Free Beef Carpaccio with Arugula and Capers
Raw beef dishes can feel intimidating to pull off at home, but this classic Italian preparation is surprisingly approachable with just a sharp knife and a little patience. The tenderloin is briefly firmed in the freezer before being sliced paper-thin and pounded nearly translucent, giving you those gorgeous, melt-in-your-mouth sheets of beef without any special equipment. A bright dressing of extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, and a hint of ginger ties everything together, while peppery arugula and briny capers add contrast and freshness in every bite. One of the quiet wins here is how clean the ingredient list is — pure beef tenderloin, real citrus, good olive oil, and fresh herbs. No cured meats, no processed deli components, no preservatives hiding in a marinade. For anyone navigating concerns about added nitrates and nitrites, that kind of transparency matters, and this recipe delivers it without sacrificing any of the elegance you'd expect from a restaurant-quality dish. The key is sourcing the freshest, highest-quality tenderloin you can find from a butcher you trust, since the beef is served raw and quality is everything. Plate it right before serving, scatter on the capers and parsley, and you have something genuinely stunning on the table in under an hour.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the carpaccio
- 8 oz beef tenderloin, trimmed of any sinew
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
For serving
- 2 cups baby arugula
- 2 tbsp capers, drained and rinsed
- 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh chives, thinly sliced (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Wrap the beef tenderloin tightly in plastic wrap and place it in the freezer for 25–30 minutes, until the exterior is firm to the touch but not frozen solid — this makes slicing and pounding much easier.
- 2
Remove the beef from the freezer and unwrap it. Using a very sharp knife, slice the tenderloin crosswise into rounds as thin as possible, about 1/8 inch thick.
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